Network and Community Executive Team

Members of the Northwest Network and Community Executive Team embrace a leadership model fully rooted in our Mission and Values and in our heritage as a Catholic health care ministry. This model guides our leaders in every aspect of their work and oversight responsibilities. It challenges us to relentlessly pursue improvements in patient outcomes and service to patients and families while awakening joy, meaning and purpose in the human spirit.

Nancy joined PeaceHealth in 2007 and led the Northwest Network operations in SE Alaska and NWWashington through October 2014. In her current role, she oversees all PeaceHealth activities in the states of Washington and Alaska.Prior to PeaceHealth, she spent five years as CEO of San Mateo Medical Center following serviceas COO at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital/St. Joseph Health System, both in northern California.

Nancy received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from New York University. She earned her Master of Science degree from the University of California at San Francisco. She is the co-author of "Self-Care Nursing: Theory and Practice," published in 1985 and again in 1995.

Her many professional and community involvements have included serving on the California Hospital Association Board of Directors, the California Association of Public Hospitals Executive Committee, as scholarship chairman for Women Healthcare Executives, as chairman of the American Heart Association Board in Santa Rosa and as heart walkathon chairman. She currently serves on the Washington State Hospital Association Board of Directors and Patient Safety Committee. She is on the boards of Whatcom Hospice and St. Joseph Medical Center Foundations.​

Dale Zender joined PeaceHealth in 1983 as a budget manager and in 1996 was promoted to Senior Financial Officer and became Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for PeaceHealth Ketchikan General Hospital. In 2001, Dale joined the then Regional Executive Team as Vice President of Finance and also began a seven-year stint as Vice President for the St. Joseph Medical Group.

Most recently, he has served as CFO and Chief Operating Officer, responsible for all fiscal operations, contracts administration and facilities management, as well as a number of operational services. Dale has operational responsibility for the Cardiovascular Center, a BlueCross Center of Excellence. Before being named Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), Dale was Regional Vice President of Finance and Organizational Integrity Officer.

Dale holds both a CPA certificate and MBA degree; he graduated from Western Washington University’s College of Business and Economics. He also completed the Advanced Training Program (ATP) in Healthcare Delivery Improvement, Intermountain HealthCare in Salt Lake City, UT.

In 2011, Dale was honored by PeaceHealth with the John Tiscornia Award, an award that honors a dedicated, long-time leader who in his life and work demonstrates outstanding leadership and exemplifies the philosophy and values of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace.​

Ken Bachenberg, MD, has been a member of the Bellingham
medical community since 1991 when he joined Bellingham Anesthesia
Associates. In addition to his busy practice, Dr. Bachenberg held several
leadership positions at PeaceHealth St. Joseph before taking this permanent,
full-time post. At various times over the last two decades, he has been
the Medical Director of Critical Care and Respiratory Services, Cardiac
Anesthesia, and Perioperative Surgical Services.

Dr. Bachenberg received his medical degree from
Creighton University Medical School in Omaha, Nebraska, and did his internship
and residency at the University of California San Francisco. Earlier in his
career, he practiced primary care for five years before moving to Washington to
complete a residency in anesthesiology at UW Medicine. He has
participated in several medical missions to Santiago, Guatemala, as well as on
the surgical team for Health Volunteers Overseas, to Managua, Nicaragua.

In his new role as Chief Medical Officer and Patient
Safety Officer, Dr. Bachenberg will lead a team that includes Medical Staff,
the Medical Staff Services Office and Risk Management. In addition, he will
lead the enhancement of clinical quality and patient experience at PeaceHealth St.
Joseph.

Kelly Espinoza is the Vice President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer for PeaceHealth St. Joseph. Kelly Joined PeaceHealth in July of 2012. Kelly came to us from Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center, a 385 bed, not-for-profit medical center which was part of Dignity Health, a 40 hospital system formerly known as Catholic Healthcare West (CHW). Kelly was the Chief Nursing Officer and Vice President of Patient Care Services. Kelly also served at the President of the Nevada State Board of Nursing and was awarded the Northern Nevada Nurse of Achievement for LEADERSHIP in 2012. She is pursuing her PhD in Nursing Education at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Prior to her Chief Nurse role, Kelly was the Vice President of Quality at Renown Health in Reno and the Director of Quality and Patient Safety at Stanford Hospital and Clinics in Palo Alto, California.

Kelly has bachelor's in nursing, a master's in nursing and participates in numerous professional organizations, including Sigma Theta Tau, American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), and Association of Nurse Executives (AONE).

Cindy KleinVice President, People & Culture, Northwest Network

Cindy Klein is the Vice President of People & Culture for PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center. She joined PeaceHealth in June 2008. Cindy came to us from West Virginia University Hospitals, a 522-bed academic medical center with several facilities and more than 3,600 employees, where she was Vice President of Human Resources.

Prior to her HR executive position there, she was Director of Cardiac and Diagnostic Services at West Virginia University Hospitals. Cindy has a Masters in Public Administration from West Virginia University and her undergraduate degree is in journalism. Cindy has oversight for Human Resources, Learning and Development, the Employee Assistance Program and Volunteer Services. Cindy also serves on the board of directors for the United Way of Whatcom County.

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Chris Phillips serves as part of the community executive team for PeaceHealth in his current position as Director for Community Affairs and Strategic Communication at PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center. Chris received his master's degree in counseling psychology from the University of San Francisco, and has served as the clinical director of a community mental health center in Monterey, California, a grant administer and evaluator for an interagency project designed to provide coordinated primary health care and social services for people who are homeless in Burlington, Vermont, and the executive director of a community health center in Bellingham.

Maryanne Scott, MD, has been a part of the Bellingham
medical community since 2002 when she joined a private Asthma, Allergy and
Immunology practice. She then joined the Madrona Medical Group in 2004
and has been with PeaceHealth Medical Group since the merger in 2008.
During her time with PHMG, Dr. Scott has co-chaired the medical group
Operations Team, sat on the Provider Council, and acted as Physician Lead and
Associate Medical Director for Allergy, Immunology, Dermatology and
Rheumatology. She became the Interim Medical Director of PHMG in 2013
until she took on her current role of Vice President of PHMG Northwest Network
in 2014.

Dr. Scott began her medical career as an RN after receiving
her Nursing Degree from Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. She
then received a B.S. in a combined pre-med/medical school program at Wilkes
College in Wilkes-Barre, PA, culminating with a medical degree from Hahnemann
Medical College in Philadelphia. She previously practiced as an RN in Pennsylvania
and as an MD in New Jersey, Colorado and Connecticut. In addition
to multiple publications on the treatment of pediatric asthma and allergies,
Dr. Scott co-authored the book “The Parent's Guide to Food Allergies: Clear and
Complete Advice from the Experts on Raising Your Food-Allergic Child.”

In her role as VP of PHMG Northwest Network, Dr. Scott is
responsible for community and network operational, financial, and clinical
strategies as well as providing network medical group leadership.​